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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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##@&%=:«^¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ««««««« = = ««««««« ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ««««««« = = ««««««« ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ««««««« = = ««««««« ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
#@&%=:«^¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨^«:=%&@#
##@&%=:«^¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨^«:=%&@##
#@&%=:«^¨¨ ¨¨^«:=%&@#
@&%=:«^¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨^«:=%&@
&%=:«^¨¨¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨¨¨^«:=%&
%=:«^¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨¨^«:=%
=:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:=
:«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«:
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
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